The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 Monday announced a nationwide 12:00am to 4:00am curfew and restriction of religious activities and mass gatherings to 50 percent capacity.
National Incident Manager Mukhtar Mohammed disclosed this at a briefing in Abuja.
He said the decision was to contain spread of Coronavirus following rising cases in India, Brazil and Turkey, among other countries.
Mohammed said effective Tuesday, May 11, 2021, event centres and night clubs would remain closed till further notice.
He said gathering of religious groups and weddings have been reduced to 50 percent attendance while official government engagements, meetings and conferences would continue to hold virtually.
The NIM said security personnel would monitor and enforce adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions on public transport – wearing of face masks and maintaining social distance.
“All mass gatherings remain restricted to 50 persons except where explicit permission has been granted by the state governments. Hotels are to remain open, but they must observe non-pharmaceutical interventions.
“Schools have already opened. However, they should consider the use of approved antigen based rapid diagnostics tests as recommended by the NCDC.
“All religious gatherings should be limited to less than 50% capacity to ensure physical distancing and use of facemask is mandatory.
“All recreational venues, gyms and indoor sports facilities are to close until 11 of June when the situation will be reviewed. However, non contact outdoor sports such as golf, Polo and tennis are not affected by these.
“Gatherings in weddings, parties and meetings should also comply with 50 persons. Mass political gatherings, gatherings in the open, a large number of people are strictly to adhere to this COVID-19 protocol as issued by PSC.
“Violations of this protocol: Each state government is to set up mobile Tribunal for prosecution of violators as security agents are empowered to make an arrest for violations under the protection regulation.
“These safety protocols only provide a baseline from which state governors may further strengthen their responses based on that Local circumstances, states should continue to consider this minimum guidelines required to ensure an acceptable level of epidemic control.
“Lastly, as we prepare to commence the end of Ramadan festivities and Sallah celebrations, we asked Nigerians to be cautious, to avoid crowded places and ensure that they continue to use face masks and also social distancing where necessary,” he said.
He said the rise in global cases of coronavirus has made the PSC to reinforce the surveillance system at the country’s points of entry.
He said while the country’s vaccine rollout continues, there’s a shortage in global supplies affected by the current situation in India.
“These translate to a delay in vaccinating a large proportion of the population and therefore a risk of a large outbreak, especially in the context of poor adherence to the recommended public and social gatherings.
“There are strong concerns about the non compliance to public health and social measures, which are contained in the health protection regulation 2021.
“Specifically, the level of adherence to the use of face mask, physical distancing, temperature checks in public spaces, hand washing, and limitations placed on large gatherings remain very poor, in some areas these are even nonexistent.
“In line with increasing risk of certain cases, the PSC is, therefore, maintaining enforcement of the COVID-19 Health Protection Division. This is to mitigate the risk of a spike in new cases, while the nationwide vaccine continues.
“The National Response continues to focus on achieving a balance between preserving lives while working on a long term epidemic control.
“Further to this recommendation and effective from 00:01 hours on Tuesday 11th of May 2022, this phase four of restriction of movement shall come into effect. We shall maintain restrictions on mass gatherings of sidewalk settings, with a maximum of about 50 people in any enclosed space.
“Approved gatherings must be held to the physical distancing measures, and other non-pharmaceutical interventions in place.
“Enforcement of mandatory requirement for seven-day quarantine for all international passengers arriving from foreign destinations. While institutional quarantine for international passengers arriving from the three countries we mentioned.
“Enforced temperature checks and robust monitoring policy in all public settings, working in buildings, businesses, places of worship, etc. Access to government and commercial premises should be denied to any person who is not wearing face mask.
“We will continue to maintain restriction on reduction of work of government staff workers from GL-12 and below. We’ll also limited government meetings to virtual platforms as much as possible,” he said.
Rising COVID-19 figure
In a related development, the PSC has said the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in Brazil, India and Turkey are worrisome.
Committee chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha said this at a briefing in Abuja.
He said a travel advisory on international flights from the countries was issued by the PSC to safeguard public health and safety.
“As you are all aware, the PSC has already issued a Travel Advisory which took into consideration, the utility of travel restrictions, outcomes of epidemiological risk assessment, factors that aid transmission as well as control measures that could be deployed. In the Advisory, additional requirements were placed on passengers from India, Turkey and Brazil.
“The PSC has received reports of some returning foreign passengers who violated the mandatory quarantine requirement under the advisory by escaping from the facilities. We deprecate such violation of the laws of our land and our hospitality.
“The PSC is awaiting the report of on-going investigations and we wish to assure Nigerians that appropriate sanctions would be imposed on the violators,” he said.
He said the committee would continue to watch with focus and concern the unprecedented rising cases of infection and fatalities caused by variants in a number of jurisdictions around the world.
Mustapha said the committee would rely on data, science and experiences around the world to establish the basis for steps to be taken to strengthen the country’s national response programme.
“Since the last national briefing on 26th April, 2021 the PSC has also received the expression of genuine concerns by experts, international organisations, the Africa CDC, Nigerians and other friendly nations over these developments. It has also, on the merit, assessed the situation in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the USA with a view to preventing importation of the variants of concern.
“The surge and virulence of the variants of concern has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of persons in India and a number of countries and has unfortunately disrupted the production of and global delivery programmes for vaccines. These developments clearly underscore the fact that indeed, no one can be safe until everyone is safe.
“On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, the PSC wishes to express deep sympathies and condolences to these nations that have been badly affected by the new surge and pray that the Almighty should bring relief and total halt to the ravaging effect on humanity.
“The PSC also calls on all nations of goodwill, to continue the good work of supporting nations that are encountering the turbulence at this time,” he said.
He said the Presidential Steering Committee has considered several pre-emptive measures to be taken to mitigate the likely impact of the variants of concern, should they get imported into Nigeria.
“This step has become compelling in view of the fragile state of our health systems, the disruption to the vaccines delivery and the lack of compliance with the extant public health measures and social measures contained in the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Health Protection Regulations 2021.
“The PSC has therefore considered it imperative to re-institute the various public health measures that were put in place under the health Protection Regulations.
“In taking this step, the PSC requests the State Governments to please step up to play lead roles in the area of enforcement and sanctions.
“Similarly, our appeal goes to traditional, religious and community leaders to take up more ownership and responsibility for risk communication and community engagement on the virulent nature of the pandemic, concerns over the variants of concern and the need for compliance. The National Incident Manager will elaborate on the re-instituted guidelines,” he said.
On the issue of vaccine access and administration, the SGF said given the challenge of vaccine nationalism compounded by the production situation in India, the Presidential Steering Committee is exploring other options to get Nigerians vaccinated.
“As at date, 1,690,719 persons have received their first dose of the vaccine in Nigeria representing 84% of the targeted persons for this phase. We appeal to States, especially those high burden areas, to push ahead with the vaccination programme.
“Accordingly, the PSC has produced a new Implementation Guidelines being Phase IV of our Eased restrictions of COVID-19 Lockdown in the Country.
“The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government has fixed the cost of COVID-19 testing, whether PCR or otherwise, at $50 (Fifty US Dollars) at all Points of Entry with effect from 17th May, 2021. This is to ease travel and trade among citizens of ECOWAS States traveling within the region,” he said.
